The Hot Yoga Doctor – Free Bikram and Hot Yoga Resources › Hot Yoga Doctor Forum › Injuries, Restrictions, Ailments, Pose Modifications › Physical Restrictions › Large Chested
-
AuthorPosts
-
I’ve asked this question on another yoga forum but I’ll try here too…
I’ve been practicing Bikram for over a year and a half now 3-4 days a week and absolutely love it. But, one of my biggest frustrations is that my progress is stifled in so many postures because I have a large chest (along with too much belly). I’m a 36FF, 185 lbs and 5’4″, yoga definitely wasn’t created with my figure in mind. “You MUST have your forehead to knee!” Yeah, right. I absolutely hate hearing that “the posture hasn’t even started for me” over and over again because my form is very good otherwise and these postures are most definitely changing my body.
The overall extra fat on my body is also in the way and hopefully, someday, my practice will start helping me become a more slender person overall. And becoming more slender will help my practice…Worst poses in particular are:
Standing head to knee: I would need monkey arms to get an interlocked grip
Locust pose: It took me SO LONG just to figure out how to get my arms under my body properly. When I started I was CERTAIN I was going to snap my elbows.
Rabbit: I’m far from getting my head to my kneesAny suggestions or similar experiences?
Hi Hollie
Have you heard this one? The poses are 99% intention. Let go of the stuff that some teachers say and listen to your own voice. It is definitely annoying and frustrating to hear blanket statements to the whole room when you clearly are having an issue.
If your form is good and you are breathing constantly and your body is responding, then I believe you are on the right track.
I have noticed that with students of similar physical form that the forehead on the knee is almost an impossibility in Standing Separate Leg Head to Knee. With all that effort it can be very deflating to hear that you are supposedly getting no benefits.
You say your body is changing – so please keep that in mind and celebrate your progress.
Hollie, when you answer the following questions would you mind posting them under their specific poses?
Please tell me how you are able to grip in Standing Head to Knee? There are some posts there that may help already.
In Rabbit: when you say your forehead is not getting to your knees, do you mean that your head is on the floor and there is a space between your knees and your head or do you mean that your can’t get down there at all? Would love to know more… Again you may find some clues in the Rabbit posts.
Finally, you probably already know that the more you go the more quickly the changes will happen. I have often taught students who decide once and for all that they want to drop some shape quickly. What they do is commit to going to class for 2 months for 5-6-7 times per week. They give up their other commitments in the short term to gain the benefits that a daily practice can give them. I encourage you to check in to your outcomes… If you are happy with the way things are then keep it up. You love your practice, that is evident. If you want to accelerate your changes then consider a short term plan that ups the frequency.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Namaste
Gabrielle 🙂I am large chested too, and each of the postures you mentioned are problem areas for me as well.
I do notice, the more I practice, the more I am able to bend-at-the-waist deeper, making the large chest not such a big problem. And then I can get the forehead closer to the knee etc etc.
And don’t forget to listen to breath instruction – – that creates space as well.
enjoy!
-
AuthorPosts
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.